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Myths about Earth
In cultures around the world, humans have developed stories to help them understand how the Earth came to be, and why things happen. Many of these stories share interesting similarities, which point, perhaps, to deep common concerns of human beings. Explore the links in this section to find out about myths related to Earth, and phenomena that occur at the Earth’s surface.
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Explore Myths about Earth
Egyptian: Geb
Geb was worshipped in lower Egypt as the Earth god. He was depicted as a bearded man with a ...Read more
Aztec: Coatlicue
Coatlicue, whose name means "Serpent Skirt," was the Earth goddess of the Aztecs. Aztecs were ...Read more
Greek: Gaea
Gaea, or Mother Earth, was the great goddess of the early Greeks. She represented the Earth ...Read more
Chinese: Hou Ji
Hou Ji was originally a Chinese hero of royal descent. His ancestor was Huang Di. Tang, the ...Read more
Inca: Pachamama
Incas of ancient Peru believed that Pachamama was the Earth goddess. Pachamama and her husband ...Read more
Maya: Bacabs
The Maya believed the Earth was flat with four corners. Each corner was a direction shown by ...Read more
Maori: Papa
The Maori people of New Zealand believe that at the beginning of time the sky was so in love ...Read more
Norse: Midgard
In Norse mythology, Midgard is the Earth. It was created when the supreme god, Odin and his ...Read more
Sumerian: Enlil
Enlil was the Sumerian god of Earth and air. Sumerians were living more than three thousand ...Read more
Aspects of the Earth
Explore myths related to phenomena on Earth like storms, wind, rainbows, and more. ...Read moreHistorical Events
2/21 George Hale, an American astronomer, died on this date in 1938 Details
2/25 Birthday of Maria Winkelmann Kirch, a German astronomer, on this date in 1670 Details
2/28 Linus Pauling, a Nobel prize-winning American chemist, was born on this date in 1901 Details
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Did you know?
Did you know that the "Seven Sisters" known to the Greeks is the same as the "Flint Boys" known to the Navajo?Did you know that the Roman god, Neptune, was not only the god of the sea, but also of earthquakes?
Earth and Space Science Concept of the Day
Do you know what this word or phrase means?Sand boil
xSand boil : A sand boil is sand and water that come out onto the ground surface during an earthquake as a result of liquefaction at shallow depth.
Click on the word to find out!
Research Highlights
Geologists Uncover Major Ancient Human Ancestor in South Africa
Scientists in South Africa have discovered two fossil skeletons that are about two million years old. These skeletons are of a young male and adult female of a species that had never been found before....Read more
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Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information.
